The power of words

Though many people may believe printed dictionaries are things of the past, third grade students at Threshold Academy are putting the books to good use.

The students of teacher Jodi Moffatt's class are learning a variety of skills, including alphabetizing, how to look up words and find definitions, how to pronounce the words they find and how to use them in everyday conversation.

"It's very handy for them and they take pride in (the dictionary) because it's their own," said Moffatt, adding 30 students are benefiting from the gift.

The dictionaries were provided for free by a non-profit organization called The Dictionary Project, which gives dictionaries to students in the third grade. The goal of the organization is to help students become creative thinkers, good readers and writers and resourceful learners, according to its Website.

Moffatt said receiving the dictionaries was as simple as contacting the organization and asking for the items.

The students are enjoying the dictionaries as much as Moffatt. Kaylee Sharke, 8, Teanna Vanderlip, 9, Madison Austin, 9, and Cody Burns, 8, said they like to look up new words and have learned many, including "client," "reptile" and "score."

The dictionary also has maps, the alphabet in sign language and the alphabet in Braille, which the quartet said they liked exploring. The students added they think they will become better writers using their dictionaries.

Moffatt said with the help of the tool, she is able to incorporate vocabulary throughout the day in every subject, as she can say a new word and have the students find it in the dictionary and read the definition.

"It provides many teaching moments," she added.

In addition, the students are branching out on their own, picking up the book to see what new words they can discover.

"Owning a dictionary is a wonderful learning tool. Education meta-researcher Robert Marzano indicates that vocabulary instruction related to classroom content can increase student learning by 30 percent. A dictionary has every word a student needs to know to succeed in school between the covers of a single book," said Threshold Academy Principal Victoria Simon. "Our students are grateful for this valuable gift."

For more about The Dictionary Project, visit www.dictionaryproject.org.